Power lift mechanism



Jan. 13, BROWN POWER LIFT MECHANISM Filed May 13, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l I N V E TOR: THEOPH/LUS BROWN I BY / ATTORNEYS.

' Jan. 13, 1942. T. BROWN 2,269,515

POWER LIFT MECHANISM Filed May 1s,' 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR: THEOPHILUS BROWN ATTORNEYS.

Patented Jan. 13, 1942 POWER LIFT MECHANISM Theophilus Brown, Moline, Ill., assignor to Deere & Company, Moline, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application May 13, 1940, Serial No. 334,831

26 Claims.

The present invention relates to power lift devices of the type commonly used on agricultural tractors for raising and lowering implements associated therewith, and has as its principal object the provision of a new and improved power lift capable of raising and lowering a number of implement rigs one after the other or simultaneously, at option.

During certain tilling operations, as when cultivating pointed rows with a cultivator which operates on several rows at the same time, it is often desirable to raise the rigs on one side of the tractor before raising those on the other side, or to raise the rigs mounted on the front end of the tractor before raising those on the rear end. Likewise, it is often desirable to lower the rigs one after another when starting to cultivate a number of pointed rows, while at other times it may be advantageous to raise or lower all of the rigs simultaneously.

Various attempts have been made to provide a power lift mechanism capable of performing these several tasks, and among the machines developed is a device shown and described in my Patent No. 2,195,610, issued April 2, 1940, wherein a series of individually controlled power lift clutches are driven from a single power shaft. One disadvantage of this arrangement, however, is the fact that a number of power lift clutches are required, raising the cost of production and increasing the number of parts requiring attention. It is another object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a power lift device of the type described wherein power for raising the several implement rigs is derived from a single self-interrupting clutch.

Still another object is to provide a series of individual lift trip pedals, each of which is operative to raise one of a series of lifting arms, and a number of drop trip pedals, each of which is operative to lower one of the lifting arms, with a master trip pedal operative to manipulate all of the'lift trip pedals simultaneously or all of the drop trip pedals simultaneously, at option, depending on which way the master pedal is rocked.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after consideration of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view, as seen from the rear, of a power lift device embodying the principles of my invention;

Figure 2 is atop plan view of the same; and

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view showing one of the plungers in engagement with its associated lifting arm.

Referring now to the drawings, the power lift device is mounted on a suitable platform or base 5 which may be the body of a tractor or frame of an implement, as the occasion requires, and comprises a transversely disposed shaft 6 having axially spaced lifting arms I, 8 and 9 journaled thereon, and a power lift clutch H) of the type known as self-interrupting clutches. Each of the lifting arms 1, 8, 9 is provided at its outer end with an aperture l'l adapted to receive a connection with the lifting linkage of one rig of tools mounted on the tractor or implement frame 5 for raising and lowering the rig. The shaft 6 is journaled in bearing blocks II, 12 and I3, which are bolted to the top surface of the platform 5. The power lift clutch I is mounted on a supporting bracket or projection l4 extending rearwardly from the back of the platform 5, and is driven by a constantly rotating power shaft l having driving connection with any suitable driving means (not shown) as, for instance, a tractor engine or traction Wheel.

The clutch I0 is a conventional form of power lift clutch similar to that shown and described in my Reissue Patent No. 20,415, dated June 22, 1937, to which reference may be had, except that in the present instance I prefer to use a fullrevolution cycle instead of the usual half-revolution cycle. The clutch Hi includes an intermittently rotatable plate element It forming the driven member, which is clutched to the driving member by means actuated by a throwout dog pivoted at 2| on the outside of the plate H5. The throwout dog 26! is held in disengaged position by means comprising a pair of arms 22fixed to a shaft 24 supported in an apertured boss 25 provided on the bracket Hi. The outer ends of the arms 22 are spaced apart to receive a roller 26 journaled on a pin 30 secured to the arms. The roller 26 is adapted to be disposed in a notch 3| formed in a flange ortion of the plate member I6, and the notch 3| is so disposed with respect to the throwout dog 20 that, whenever the roller is positioned in the notch, the outer end of the throwout dog is engaged and the dog is moved about its pivot 2| to a position wherein the driven member 16 is disconnected from the driving clutch member. An arm 32 is fixed to the shaft 24 between thearms 22 and serves to rock the shaft to lift the roller 26 out of the notch 31 and out of engagement with the end of the throwout dog 26. Withdrawal of the roller 26 from the notch 3| causes the throwout dog to move about its pivot 2| to a position wherein the driven mem ber I6 is connected with the driving clutch member and rotates therewith in the direction of the arrow shown in Figure 1 through one complete revolution.

The clutch driven member I6 is connected with the shaft 6 for rocking the latter by link means comprising a rod 33 which is journaled at its lower end on a crank pin 34 fixed to and projecting from the face of the member |6. The upper end of the rod 33 is hooked through an aperture 35 in the outer end of an arm 36, the other end of the aim being provided with a hub 31 which is mounted on the shaft 6 and is secured thereto by a pin 46. Thus, when the power lift clutch |6 is actuated, the shaft 6 is first rocked in one direction as the crank pin 34 travels upwardly and then in the other direction as the crank pin travels downwardly.

The lifting arms I, 8 and 9 are selectively connected with the shaft 6 to rock therewith by optionally controllable means which will now be described. Associated with each of the lifting arms is a clutching device which is operative to connect the arm to the shaft 6 when the latter rocks in one direction, these clutching devices being indicated generally by the reference numerals 4|, 42, and 43, respectively. Each of the clutches comprises a carrier arm 44 which is apertured to receive the shaft 6 and is secured thereto by a pin 45. The radially outer end of each of the carrier arms 44 is provided with an aperture 46 disposed with its axis parallel to the axis of the shaft 6, and slidably disposed within the aperture 46. is a plunger 56. One end of the plunger 56 is disposed adjacent its respective lifting arm, and this end of the plunger is beveled and notched, as at 5|, to engage the edge of the arm. A compression spring 52 embraces the plunger 56 and bears at one end against a retaining washer 53 pinner to the plunger, the other end of the spring abutting against the side of the carrier arm 44 opposite the lifting arm. Thus, the plunger is yieldingly urged away from the lifting arm at all times, and the notched end of the plunger is normally withdrawn into the aperture 46 in the carrier arm, as best shown in Figure 2.

The plungers 56 are moved axially to engage the edges of their respective lifting arms by control means comprising a plurality of individual lift trip pedals 54, 55, and 56, each of which has an apertured hub 66 journaled n the shaft 6 and slidable axially thereon. One end of the hub 60 is provided with a cam face 6| which coacts with a companionate cam face 62 formed on the adjacent end of a sleeve member 63 pinned to the shaft 6, to cam the trip pedal axially along the shaft 6 when the pedal is depressed. Axial movement of the lift trip pedal is transmitted to the plunger 56 through the agency of a radially extending flange 64 provided on the hub 66 of the pedal, which bears against the end of the plunger in sliding engagement therewith. Thus, as the lift trip pedal slides axially along the shaft 6, the

flange 64 pushes the plunger 56 in the direction 7 of its associated lifting arm, and the notch engages the rearward edge of the arm, as shown in Figure 3.

The power lift clutch i6 is actuated at the same time that one or more of the lifting arms is engaged by its associated clutching device by means comprising a downwardly extending arm 65 formed integral with the hub 66 of each of the trip pedals 54, 55, 56 on the under side thereof. The arm 65 is engageable with a transversely disposed bail 6 6 having its arms journaled in the end bearing blocks II and I3 for fore and aft swinging movement, and connecting the bail 66 with the clutch control arm 32 is a link 16. When one of the lift trip pedals is depressed, the arm 65 pushes the bail 66 rearwardly, causing the roller 26 to be lifted out of the notch 3| to actuate the power lift clutch for one revolution, and thereby rocking the shaft 6 and with it, the lifting arms locked thereto. As brought out previously, the shaft 6 is rocked first in one and then in the other direction, and it is during the first half of the operating cycle of the clutch I6 that the lifting arms are rocked to the dotted line positions shown for arms 1 and 9 in Figure l. The raised position of the middle lifting arm 8 has been omitted in the drawings to avoid confusion, but the angle between lowered and raised positions is, of course, the same for all three arms.

During the last half of the operating cycle of the power lift clutch, the shaft 6 is rocked back to its original position, and the lifting arms which were rocked forwardly with the shaft are held in raised position by latch means in the form of spring pressed detents or pawls ll, 12, and 13, each of which is pivotally supported on a mounting bracket 14 bolted to the platform 5 below its respective lifting arm. Each of the pawls ll, 12, '13 has a catch 15 which engages the toe of the lifting arm when the latter is in raised position (see Figure 1). A spring 16 supported on an arm 86 of the bracket 14 bears against the pawl to yieldingly hold the pawl in engagement with the lifting arm. A stop 8| on the bracket 74 engages the toe of the lifting arm when the arm is in lowered position and serves to limit the movement of the arm in that direction.

The lifting arms 1, 8, and 9 are selectively releasable from their respective latch pawls to allow the implements connected therewith to drop to the ground, and this is accomplished through drop trip pedals 82, 83, and 84 which are disposed between and pivoted at 85 for vertical swinging to lugs 86 formed integral with the pedal hubs 66 on the back sides thereof. Associated with each of the latch pawls 1|, l2, 13 is a bail 96, the central portion of which is journaled in one of the bearing blocks l2, I3, and one arm 9| of which is engageable by its respective drop trip pedal when the latter is depressed. The other arm 92 of the bail is engageable with an extension 93 of the latch pawl, and operates to push the pawl downwardly against the pressure of the spring 16 to unseat the catch 15 from the toe of the lifting arm, whereupon the lifting arm is swung back to lowered position by the weight of the implement rig attached thereto.

From the foregoing description, it is seen that the lifting arms 1, 6, 9 may be raised or lowered independently or in any desired combination by receives a transversely extending rod MI. The rod IOI extends parallelto the axis of the shaft 6 and passes above the shank, or arm portion of the lift trip pedals 54, 55, and 56. Near its ends the rod IOI is supported by a pair of rockers I02 and I03, each having an apertured hub I04 which is journaled on the shaft 6. An arm I05 extends rearwardly from the hub I04 of rocker I02 and is bent to pass above the drop trip pedal 82. Similarly, an arm I06 extends rearwardly from the hub of rocker I03 and is bent to pass above drop pedal -83. An arched member I01 is fixed. at one end to the rod IM and extends rearwardly over the shaft 6, terminating at a point immediately above the drop trip pedal 84.

When the master lift trip pedal 96 is depressed, the rod IOI engages and depresses all of the individual lift trip pedals 54, 55, and 56 simultaneously, causing all three lifting arms to be rocked in unison by the power lift clutch I0. Each of the lifting arms is automatically engaged by its respective latch pawl II, I2, I3 and held in raised position. To drop all of the implement rigs at the same time, the master drop trip pedal 9! is depressed, rocking the master pedal 94 in the opposite direction from that in which it was rocked to raise the arms. The rod IN is now rocked upwardly and rearwardly, causing the rockers I02 and I03 and the arched member II to rock with it. The arms I and I05, and arched member I01, engage and depress their respective drop trip pedals 82, 83, 84, causing the latch pawls II I2, I3 to be released from the lifting arms I, 8, 9.

While I have shown and described in some detail what I consider to be the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that various other means might be employed in carrying out the broad principles of the invention. What I claim, therefore, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A power lift device comprising a rock shaft, means for rocking the shaft, a lifting arm supported on said shaft for swinging movement relative thereto, and optionally controllable means for connecting the lifting arm with the rock shaft to rock therewith.

2. A power lift device comprising a rock shaft, means connected with the shaft for rocking the same, a plurality of lifting arms supported for rocking movement, and means for selectively connecting said lifting arms with said rock shaft in any predetermined combination to rock therewith.

3. A power lift device comprising a rock shaft, a self-interrupting, full revolution clutch connected with the shaft to oscillate the same through a certain angle first in one direction and then in the other each time the clutch is actuated, a plurality of lifting arms supported for rocking movement between raised and lowered positions, means for optionally connecting the lifting arms with the rock shaft to rotate therewith in one of said directions, and releasable means for holding the arms in raised position.

4. A power lift device comprising a rock shaft a plurality of lifting arms journaled on the shaft for swinging movement, means for rocking the shaft, and clutch means for selectively connecting said arms with said shaft to rock therewith. 5. A power lift device comprising a rock shaft, a self-interrupting power lift clutch connected with said shaft to rock the same, a plurality of lifting arms journaled on said shaft for swinging movement between raised and lowered positions, clutch means for selectively connecting the lifting arms with the rock shaft to rotate therewith, means for holding the arms in one of said positions, and means for selectively releasing said lifting arms from said holding means.

6. In a device of the class described, a plurality of lifting arm supported for swinging movement between raised and lowered positions, a power lift mechanism, and means for optionally transmitting power from said mechanism to any of said lifting arms to swing the same from one of said positions to the other.

7. A power lift device comprising a lifting arm supported for swinging movement, a self-interrupting power driven clutch, means for transmitting power from said clutch to said lifting arm to swing the latter including a second clutch, and control means for simultaneously engaging, both of said clutches.

8. A power lift device comprising a rock shaft, a power driven clutch connected therewith to rock the shaft, a lifting arm supported on said rock shaft for relative swinging movement, optionally controllable means for connecting said lifting arm with said shaft to rock therewith and control means adapted to actuate said connecting means and simultaneously engage said power driven clutch.

9. A device of the class described comprising a shaft journaled for rotation, a power lift clutch connected with said shaft to rock the same, a lifting arm journaled on said shaft for swinging movement, clutch means mounted on said shaft and operative to connect said lifting arm with the shaft to rock therewith, said clutch means being slidable axially relative to the shaft into and out of engagement with the lifting arm, and control means operative to slide said clutch means into engagement with the arm and to ac tuate said power lift clutch.

10. A device of the class described comprising a shaft journaled for rotation, a power lift clutch connected with said shaft to rock the same, a plurality of lifting arms journaled for swinging movement relative to said shaft, a plurality of clutching devices, each of said devices being operative to connect one of the lifting arms with the shaft to rock therewith, and a plurality of control members, each of said members bein adapted to actuate one of said clutching devices and to operate said power lift clutch.

11. A device of the class described comprising a shaft journaled for rotation, a power lift clutch connected with said shaft to rock the same, a plurality of axially spaced lifting arms journaled on said shaft for relative swinging movement, a plurality of clutching devices, each being cperative to connect one of the lifting arms with the shaft to rock therewith, and means for selectively actuating said clutching devices and simultaneously operating said power lift clutch.

12. A device of the class described comprising a shaft journaled for rotation, a power lift clutch connected with said shaft to rock the same, a plurality of axially spaced lifting arms journaled on said shaft for relative swinging movement, a plurality of clutching devices, each being operative to connect one of the. lifting arms with the shaft to rock therewith, a plurality of trip levers, each of said levers being operative to engage one of said clutching devices with its respective lifting arm and to actuate said power lift clutch when depressed, and means for simultaneously depressing all of said trip levers to rock all of the lifting arms in unison.

13. A device of the class described compris ing a shaft journaled for rotation, a power lift clutch connected with said shaft to rock the same, a plurality of axially spaced lifting arms journaled on said shaft for relative swinging movement, a plurality of clutching devices, each being operative to connect one of the lifting arms with the shaft to rock therewith, a plurality of individual trip levers journaled on said shaft, each of said levers being operative to engage one of said clutching devices and simultaneously to actuate the power lift clutch, and a master trip lever engageable with all of said individual trip levers to manipulate the same in unison.

14. A device of the class described comprising a shaft journaled for rotation, a power 'lift clutch connected with said shaft to rock the same, a plurality of lifting arms journaled on the shaft for relative swinging movement, a plurality of clutching devices carried on the shaft, each being engageable with one of said arms to connect the arm with the shaft, a plurality of individual lift trips, each being operative to engage one of said clutching devices with its respective arm and to actuate the power lift clutch, a plurality of detent means for holding said arms in raised position, a plurality of individual drop trips, each being operative to disengage one of said detent means from its respective arm, and a master trip supported for rocking movement, said master trip being operative to manipulate all of the individual lift trips in unison when rocked in one direction, and to manipulate all of the individual drop trips when rocked in the other direction.

15. A device of the class described comprising a shaft journaled for rotation, a power lift clutch connected with said shaft to rock the same, a plurality of lifting arms journaled on the shaft for relative swinging movement, a plurality of clutching devices carried on the shaft, each being engageable with one of said arms to connect the arm with the shaft, a plurality of axially spaced lift trip pedals journaled on the shaft, each of said pedals being operative to engage one of said clutching devices with its respective arm to lift the arm, spring-biased latch means for holding each of said arms in raised position, a plurality of drop trip pedals supported on the shaft and swingable relative thereto, each of said drop trip pedals being operative to release one of said arms from said latch means, a master trip pedal journaled on said shaft for rocking movement, a rod fixed to said master trip pedal and engageable with all of said lift trip pedals when the master pedal is rocked in one direction to lift all of said arms in unison, and means providing a connection between said rod and said drop trip pedals whereby all of the arms are dropped simultaneously when the master pedal is rocked in the other direction.

16. A power lift device comprising a shaft supported for rocking movement, a self-inter rupting clutch, link means connecting the clutch with the shaft whereby the latter is rocked when the clutch is actuated, a lifting arm journaled on the shaft, a lift trip pedal supported on the shaft for axial sliding and rocking movement, cam means on the pedal engageable with companionate cam means fixed to the shaft for moving the pedal axially along the shaft when the pedal is rocked, a plunger supported on the shaft to rock therewith and slidable axially relative to the shaft into and out of engagement with said lifting arm to lock the arm to the shaft, said plunger being engaged by said pedal whereby axial movement of the pedal causes the plunger to move into engagement with the lifting arm, control means for actuating the power lift clutch, and means connecting said pedal with said control means whereby the power lift clutch is actuated when the pedal is rocked.

17. A power lift device comprising a shaft supported for rocking movement, a self-interrupting clutch, link means connecting the clutch with the shaft whereby the latter is rocked when the clutch is actuated, a plurality of lifting arms journaled on the shaft, and means for individually coupling each of said lifting arms to the shaft to rock therewith, said means comprising a plurality of lift trip pedals supported on the shaft for axial sliding and rocking movement relative thereto, each of said pedals being associated with one of said lifting arms, cam means on each of said pedals engageable with companionate cam means fixed to the shaft for moving the pedal axially along the shaft when the pedal is rocked, means associated with each of said lifting arms and responsive to axial movement of its respective pedal for locking the arm to the shaft to rock therewith, control means for actuating the selfinterrupting clutch, means providing a connection between each of said pedals and said control means whereby the clutch is actuated when one of said pedals is rocked, and a master trip pedal having means engageable with each of said lift trip pedals whereby all of the lift trip pedals are rocked simultaneously.

18. A device of the class described comprising a shaft, a power lift clutch connected with the shaft to rock the same, a lifting arm journaled on the shaft, a lift trip pedal supported for rocking movement, and means responsive to rocking movement of the trip pedal for actuating the power lift clutch and simultaneously locking the arm to the shaft to rock therewith.

19. A device of the class described comprising a shaft, a power lift clutch connected with the shaft to rock the same, a plurality of lifting arms journaled on the shaft, an individual lift trip pedal associated with each of said lifting arms and supported for rocking movement, means as sociated with each of said pedals and responsive to rocking movement thereof for locking its respective lifting arm to the shaft to rock therewith, means optionally controllable from any one of said pedals for actuating the power lift clutch, and a master trip pedal having means engageable with each of said individual lift trip pedals for simultaneously rocking all of them.

20. A device of the class described comprising a shaft, a power lift clutch connected with the shaft to rock the same, a plurality of lifting arms journaled on the shaft for swinging movement between raised and lowered positions, a rockably supported individual lift trip pedal associated with each of said lifting arms, means associated with each of said pedals and responsive to rocking movement thereof for locking its respective lifting arm to the shaft to rock therewith, means optionally controllable from any one of said pedals for actuating the power lift clutch. latch means for holding each of said lifting arms in raised position, a rockably supported individual drop trip pedal associated with each of the lifting arms and operative to release the arm from said latch means, and a master trip pedal supported for rocking movement, said master trip pedal being operative to rock all of said individual lift trip pedals simultaneously when rocked in one direction, and to rock all of said individual drop trip pedals simultaneously when rocked in the other direction.

21. Power lift mechanism comprising a lifting device normally at rest, a lifting member normally disconnected from said device, and a control member for simultaneously intiating the operation of said lifting device and connecting said lifting member thereto.

22. A common lifting device normally at rest, a pair of lifting members normally disconnected from said device, and control mechanism for initiating the operation of said lifting deviceand for optionally connecting one or the other of said lifting members to said lifting device simultaneously with the initiation of the operation of said lifting device.

23. In combination, a common lifting device normally at rest, a pair of lifting members normally disconnected from said device, a control member for simultaneously initiating the operation of said lifting device and connecting one of said lifting members thereto, and a second control member for simultaneously initiating the operation of said lifting device and connecting the other of said lifting members thereto.

24. A common lifting device normally at rest, a first and a second lifting member, said lifting members being normally disconnected from said lifting device, a first and a second control member, and means responsive to the actuation of the first control member for initiating the operation of said lifting device and connecting the first lifting member thereto, and responsive to the actuation of the second control member for initiating the operation of said lifting device and connecting the second lifting member thereto.

25. A common lifting device normally at rest, a first and a second lifting member, said lifting members being normally disconnected from said lifting device, first, second and third control members, means responsive to the actuation of the first control member for initiating the operation of said lifting device and connecting the first lifting member thereto, and responsive to the actuation of the second control member for initiating the operation of said lifting device and connecting the second lifting member thereto, and responsive to the actuation of the third control member for initiating the operation of said lifting device and connecting both lifting members thereto for simultaneous operation.

26. A device of the class described comprising a self-interrupting power lift clutch having a control member and an operating member, said clutch having a normal cycle of operation wherein the operating member rotates through one complete revolution each time the control member is actuated, a pair of lifting arms movable between raised and lowered positions, means for selectively connecting either one of said lifting arms to said operating member to be moved to raised position by the operating member during the first half revolution thereof, said operating member being returned to starting position during the second half of its revolution in readiness to raise the other of said lifting arms, and latch means operative to hold said lifting arms in raised position independent of said operating member.

'I'HEOPHILUS BROWN. 

